A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 2 · Part 1 · Subpart 22
God an Hiding-Place.
Psal. 32.7.
Thou art my Hiding-Place, thou shalt preserve me from Trouble.
Psal. 119.114.
Thou art my Hiding-Place, &c.
SEcret Place, as Mr. Ainsworth renders it; a Phrase alluding to some Den, Cave, or secret Chamber, where Men have found, and may find Safety in Times of Danger; according to what is said, Isa. 26.20. Come, my People, enter thou into thy Chambers, and shut thy Doors about thee; hide thy self as it were for a little moment. The Saints of old hid themselves in Dens, in Caves, Mountains, and Wildernesses, from the Rage of Men, Heb. 11.38. were sometimes sheltered by the Providence of God, when there was a general Combination against them; therefore called God's hidden Ones, Psal. 83.3. because covered by him, when Edom, the Ishmaelites, Moab, and the Hagarens, Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, the Philistines, with the Inhabitants of Tyre, took crafty Counsel, and consulted Mischief against them.
And in as much as Hiding-Place is a borrowed Speech from a Rock, Mountain, Cave, or Den, secret Chamber, or Place of Shelter; we may consider the Conveniency of the Metaphor, and bring in a Parallel from God.
Metaphor.
I. AN Hiding-Place is usually a strong Place; Men will not adventure themselves in it, or think themselves safe, without some considerable Strength.
II. An Hiding-Place is an invisible and obscure Place, not known to every Body, a Place that Enemies have much ado to find.
III. An Hiding-Place is a Covering or Shelter from many Evils; from the scorching Heat of the Sun, the blustering Storms of Wind and Hail.
IV. An Hiding-Place frees from Fear, and much abates the Hurries and Discomposures of the Mind, because Men do imagin themselves safe, when they have taken Sanctuary in some secret Rock or Cave.
V. An Hiding-Place doth disappoint the Enemies, who please themselves in the thoughts of preying upon the Righteous; as Pharaoh said of Israel, My Lust shall be satisfied! The Enemies of David cry, Let us persecute his Soul, and take it. Aha! thus would we have it.
Parallel.
I. GOD, the good Man's Hiding-Place, is a strong God, as a Rock in time of Need, nay, as the Shelter of a great Rock, as the Security of many Rocks:Isa. 33.6. His Place of Defence shall be the Munition of Rocks. He is as a Place built on purpose for Safety. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower, Prov. 18.10. Psal. 24.8. Psal. 61.3.the Righteous run into it, and are safe. He is hence said to be the Almighty, the Lord strong and mighty; a strong Rock, Psal. 31.2. Strong Habitation, Psal. 71.3. Strong Refuge, v. 7. Strong Lord, Psal. 89.8. Mighty in Power, Isa. 40.26.
II. God is an invisible Being in respect of his Essence:Joh. 1.18. chap. 5.37. chap. 6.46. Col. 1.15. 1 Tim. 1.17. Heb. 11.27. Exod. 15.9. Psal. 3.2. Esther 3.9. Psal. 37.12 Jer. 3.23. No Man hath seen God at any time. No Man hath beheld his Form, or seen his Shape. He is the invisible God, &c. He is invisible also as he is his Peoples Hiding-Place: Pharaoh saw not the Covering Israel had, when he said, I will pursue, I will overtake, my Hand shall destroy. The Enemies of David saw not the Cave, the Rock, his Hiding-Place, when they said, There is no help for him in his God. Haman was unacquainted with this Covering, when he designed Destruction to all Israel. The Wicked plot against the Just, because they know not where their Safety is. In the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel.
III. God is no less a Covering to his People, than the best of Hiding-Places have been, or are unto any People. He secures from the Hurt of Persecution, when Men rage, and rise up against them. He secures from Satan's Temptations, as well when he appears like a Serpent, as when he acts like a Lion, or great red Dragon. So that not only David, and the Old-Testament Church, could say, Had not the Lord been on our side, when Men rose up against us, Psal. 124.1, 2, 3, 4. Psal. 68.20we had been swallowed up quick. He breaks the Head of Leviathan, and gives it for Meat to the People inhabiting the Wilderness. But even the Church now may say, He that is our God is a sure Hiding-Place, a God of Salvation.
IV. This Advantage is most eminently enjoyed by the Godly, who have made God their Sanctuary and Hiding-Place; they are freed from the Fear that wicked Men are surprised with; their Hurries and Discomposures are much abated. As 'tis said of Moses, Heb. 11.27. Psal. 116.3 Psal. 91 5. Psal. 112.7, 8. Psal. 3 6.He feared not the Wrath of the King. And David saith, At what time I am afraid, I will put my Trust in thee: I will discharge my self of Fears and Discomposures, and account my self safe in God, my Sanctuary and Hiding-Place. I will not fear what Man can do unto me, tho Ten Thousand compass me about. In the Name of the Lord there is strong Confidence — not Fear, when evil Tidings come, Psal. 112.7.
V. God hath throughout all Ages, as the Hiding-Place of his People, disappointed their Enemies, and secured than from being a Prey to their Teeth. He saved Israel, when Pharaoh pursued them.Exod 14.30. He saved David, when Saul hunted him, like a Partridg upon the Mountains. He destroyed the Host of the Philistins and Assyrians, when their Expectations were very high. He frustrateth the Tokens of Liars, and makes Diviners mad, by catching the Wise in their own Craftiness. In the things wherein they deal proudly, he is above them.
For Disparities see Rock, and Strong-Tower,
Inferences.
I. IF God be an Hiding-Place, then let all Godly Men flie to him in Times of Trouble and Danger, by Faith and Prayer. Thus David, Psal. 143.9Deliver me, O Lord, from mine Enemies, I flie unto thee to hide me. There is Reason for it, for good Men cannot be secure without him:
1. Because weak themselves.
2. Are pursued and hunted after by potent and subtile Enemies.
II. Let them that have taken God for their Hiding-Place, abide in him; for in him there is Safety, and no where else. 'Tis vain to trust in Men, or put confidence in Princes; to look for Safety from the Hills, or Multitude of Mountains: For in the Lord alone is the Salvation of Israel.